Pirelli confirmed as exclusive Formula One tyre supplier from 2011 Pirelli confirmed as exclusive Formula One tyre supplier from 2011 The Italian tyre firm will supply all the Formula One teams from 2011-2013 with six types of tyre: four for dry weather, one for rain and one intermediate tyre. Pirelli – which has supplied tyres exclusively for the GP3 championship this year – will also supply the GP2 championship from 2011, becoming the sole provider of tyres for the most prestigious single-seater championships in global motorsport. The Milan-based firm is already present in the World Rally Championship, the World Superbike Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the Motocross World Championship and several other national championships for both cars and bikes. Milan, 23 June 2010 - Pirelli will supply tyres to the Formula One World Championship for a three-year period between 2011 and 2013.

The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the Teams, represented by FOTA (the Formula One Teams Association), and Formula One’s organising body, represented by FOM (Formula One Management) have chosen Pirelli as their exclusive supplier, based on the specific proposals from the Italian company to guarantee technical and operational stability to the competitors. Following current Formula One regulations laid down by world motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, the new contract ensures that Pirelli will provide teams with six different types of tyre for the season: four slicks, with different compounds for various types of dry surfaces, one rain tyre for heavy rain, and one intermediate tyre for damp conditions or light rain. The current economic climate has led to a realistic and collaborative approach with all the teams, ensuring that manufacturing and logistical costs are shared fairly. Pirelli’s return to Formula One also has a firm eye on the future, as in full collaboration with all the teams, research into innovative new tyre developments is a vital part of this exciting programme.

Pirelli is also proud to announce that it will supply the GP2 World Series – the acknowledged stepping-stone to Formula One – for the three-year period between 2011-2013. Pirelli’s latest participation at the highest levels of single-seater racing make a welcome addition to the celebrated Italian firm’s other motorsport activities including, from this year, a tyre supply agreement for the inaugural GP3 series. Pirelli will consequently become the single supplier to all the most prestigious racing championships in the world from 2011. Pirelli is planning to make important investments in corporate communications, in order to make the most of the high profile and cutting-edge technology that go hand in hand with supplying Formula One, using resources and budget that has already been set aside for this purpose. This communications campaign will principally help to support Pirelli’s increasing profile in emerging markets: Latin America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, which are all areas frequently visted by Formula One. Consequently Formula One will become a vital calling card for the Pirelli brand, helping its commercial and industrial expansion without disrupting the company’s long-term financial strategy.

The global visibility guaranteed through extensive media interest in Formula One, together with dynamic plans to leverage Pirelli’s involvement in an activity central to the company’s core business, represents a unique opportunity for the brand to maximise its return on investment. This new Formula One agreement crowns Pirelli’s historic involvement in world motorsport, which dates back to 1907 when the Italian fim won the epic Paris-Peking road race. Pirelli currently exclusively supplies some of the most important World Championships for both cars and bikes, such as the GP3 series, the World Rally Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the World Superbike Championship, and the Motocross World Championship. On top of this, Pirelli also supplies more than 70 other national and international championships. The last Grand Prix victory claimed by Pirelli was the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix, with Nelson Piquet driving for Benetton. Pirelli will be available to provide further details on the tyre supply agreement at a press conference to be held during the weekend at the Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia. The date and time of the press conference will be posted on .

More information, as well as photographs and videos, are available at: Pirelli Confirmed as Exclusive Formula One Tyre Supplier from 2011 Pirelli Confirmed as Exclusive Formula One Tyre Supplier from 2011 By admin - June 24, 2010 - no comments The Italian tyre firm will supply all the Formula One teams from 2011-2013 with six types of tyre: four for dry weather, one for rain and one intermediate tyre. Pirelli – which has supplied tyres exclusively for the GP3 championship this year – will also supply the GP2 championship from 2011, becoming the sole provider of tyres for the most prestigious single-seater championships in global motorsport. The Milan-based firm is already present in the World Rally Championship, the World Superbike Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the Motocross World Championship and several other national championships for both cars and bikes. Milan, 23 June 2010 – Pirelli will supply tyres to the Formula One World Championship for a three-year period between 2011 and 2013.

The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the Teams, represented by FOTA (the Formula One Teams Association), and Formula One’s organising body, represented by FOM (Formula One Management) have chosen Pirelli as their exclusive supplier, based on the specific proposals from the Italian company to guarantee technical and operational stability to the competitors. Following current Formula One regulations laid down by world motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, the new contract ensures that Pirelli will provide teams with six different types of tyre for the season: four slicks, with different compounds for various types of dry surfaces, one rain tyre for heavy rain, and one intermediate tyre for damp conditions or light rain. The current economic climate has led to a realistic and collaborative approach with all the teams, ensuring that manufacturing and logistical costs are shared fairly. Pirelli’s return to Formula One also has a firm eye on the future, as in full collaboration with all the teams, research into innovative new tyre developments is a vital part of this exciting programme.

Pirelli is also proud to announce that it will supply the GP2 World Series – the acknowledged stepping-stone to Formula One – for the three-year period between 2011- 2013. Pirelli’s latest participation at the highest levels of single-seater racing make a welcome addition to the celebrated Italian firm’s other motorsport activities including, from this year,single supplier to all the most prestigious racing championships in the world from 2011. Pirelli is planning to make important investments in corporate communications, in order to make the most of the high profile and cutting-edge technology that go hand in hand with supplying Formula One, using resources and budget that has already been set aside for this purpose. This communications campaign will principally help to support Pirelli’s increasing profile in emerging markets: Latin America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, which are all areas frequently visted by Formula One. Consequently Formula One will become a vital calling card for the Pirelli brand, helping its commercial and industrial expansion without disrupting the company’s long-term financial strategy.

The global visibility guaranteed through extensive media interest in Formula One, together with dynamic plans to leverage Pirelli’s involvement in an activity central to the company’s core business, represents a unique opportunity for the brand to maximise its return on investment. This new Formula One agreement crowns Pirelli’s historic involvement in world motorsport, which dates back to 1907 when the Italian fim won the epic Paris-Peking road race. Pirelli currently exclusively supplies some of the most important World Championships for both cars and bikes, such as the GP3 series, the World Rally Championship, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America, the World Superbike Championship, and the Motocross World Championship. On top of this, Pirelli also supplies more than 70 other national and international championships. The last Grand Prix victory claimed by Pirelli was the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix, with Nelson Piquet driving for Benetton. Pirelli Tyre S.p.A // Formula 1 supplier Paul Hembery Motorsport director Pirelli have been associated with motorsport for a long time, and have been a presence in Formula One on several occasions.

Their latest stint sees them as the sole tyre manufacturer for the pinnacle of motorsport, replacing Bridgestone for the 2011 season. The Pirelli tyres dominate the racing action, to mixed reviews, and the Italian manufacturer is always looking for ways to improve. Biography Pirelli is an Italian company producing tyres for a global marketplace - they’re currently the fifth-largest tyre manufacturer in the world. As well as sponsoring football teams and producing calendars, Pirelli have been a large presence in motorsports. They’ve supplied everything everything from Superbikes to F1 to rallying. There Formula One tenure began with the original F1 World Championship in 1950, but they left again in 1958. Pirelli returned during the early eighties, and for a short third stint ending in 1991. After Bridgestone exited the sport at the end of 2010, Pirelli were selected as the sole tyre supplier for Formula One. They made their return to the sport at the start of the 2011 series, bringing some new tyre compounds to help their remit of spicing up the F1 action.

There have been some tyre controversies over the last couple of years, with the structure and safety of the rubber brought into question. The outfit are constantly evaluating and testing to try and improve, and they have changed the tyres whenever they have seen a serious problem. Share F1 Pirelli - Official Tyres in the Formula 1 ™ World Championship The 2011/2012 F1 with Pirelli 2011 and 2012 were very memorable years for Pirelli. After a 20-year absence the company returned to the pinnacle of motorsport in 2011 with a three-year contract to exclusively supply all teams with its latest range of FORMULA ONE tyres. We came into this three-year agreement with a very clear brief, given to us by the championship promoter and the teams: to help make the races more exciting for one of the greatest shows on earth. For the past two years FORMULA ONE has allowed us to demonstrate our state-of-the-art high technology and know-how, which has always been at the heart of our company. Our motorsport factory near Istanbul showcases some cutting-edge techniques, but as always, it's Pirelli people who make this company special.

Pirelli has already been involved in motorsport for more than 100 years, and we're also renowned for making the world's most sought-after Ultra High Performance tyres. The Benetton era In 1991, in addition to Benetton, which had a certain Michael Schumacher as their second driver, Pirelli also supplied Brabham, Scuderia Italia and Tyrrell. And on June 2nd, Piquet won another Grand Prix, this time in Canada. Stefano Modena, driving the Tyrrell-Honda, came in second. Dario Calzavara was the director for Racing Activities Management, "this new success is a confirmation that it was the right choice to take part in motor racing competitions as an important aspect in the development of our tyres. The systematic exchange of know-how between the various sectors allows us to experiment with innovative solutions on racetracks, under extreme conditions, solutions that can then be transferred to our mass market products". Back on the track The 1989 racing season saw Pirelli back on the racetracks of FORMULA 1.

The teams were Brabham (Modena), Minardi (Martini), Dallara (De Cesaris), and Zakspeed. After a year of experiments, 1990 saw the partnership with Tyrrel and Alesi. Benetton and Pirelli together again. Nelson Piquet, back again with Pirelli after six years was asked to comment, "The agreement continued to mature throughout the season. As we realized the advantages that the Pirelli tyres gave cars that would otherwise not have been competitive, especially on certain tracks, it made us drivers and the technical managers of the Benetton team really stop and think". The year of Brabham In October 1984, Bernie Ecclestone announced: "...we have reached a three-year agreement with Pirelli, based on which the tyre manufacturer will work together with Brabham-BMW to develop and provide (as of the 1985 season) FORMULA 1 tyres.

We have been following Pirelli's progress with interest throughout the 1983 and 1984 seasons, and we are certain that when combined with a competitive team Pirelli will achieve the same results that it has reached in all of the other racing categories in which it has participated." The 1985 season saw Piquet win the French Grand Prix at Le Castellet. The partnership with Toleman (which had become Benetton) and Fabi continued, and Ligier with De Cesaris and Laffite and Osella with Ghinzani were added. The 1986 season saw the partnership continue with Brabham (with De Angelis and Patrese behind the wheel), with Benetton (Fabi and Berger), with Ligier (Laffite and Arnoux), with Osella (Capelli), and with Minardi (De Cesaris and Ghinzani). Berger won the Grand Prix in Mexico. However, at the end of the 1986 season, Pirelli announced that it was retiring from FORMULA 1.

The Lotus arrives In November 1982, it was announced that, for the 1983 season, Pirelli would equip the Lotus JPS driven by De Angelis and Mansell, as well as Toleman-Candy with Warwick and Giacomelli. During the 1984 season, Pirelli continued to supply the Toleman team. Now driving the English car was "an excellent test driver, who, despite his very young age, gives us a wealth of useful information about the behaviour of the car and the tyres", as the Pirelli technicians reported. That very young test driver was Ayrton Senna. The return with Toleman Pirelli returned to FORMULA 1 in 1981, with the Toleman-Hart TG 181 sponsored by Candy, and driven by Brian Henton and Derek Warwick. At Pirelli, Piero Sierra was the Product Director. "After many successes in endurance and road rally competitions, FORMULA 1 can be seen as a natural evolution of our new sports plans[...]" The Pirelli P7s that will be mounted on the Toleman F1 are radial type tyres with an asymmetric tread profile.

That is, the internal shoulder is more rounded than the external shoulder. This solution increases the manageability of the vehicle and increases tyre grip on the asphalt, due to the compensation for the negative camber which radial racing tyres require. In July of the same year, in addition to Toleman, other teams were added: Arrows-Beta with Riccardo Patrese and Siegfried Stohr (later Jacques Villeneuve), and at the Grand Prix in Monza, Fittipaldi with Rosberg and Serra. The partnership with Toleman-Candy continued in the 1982 season, with the two vehicles entrusted to Derek Warwick and Teo Fabi. Collaboration with Arrows-Beta also continued, with drivers Henton and Baldi. Other teams were also added: Osella (Jarier and Paletti), Fittipaldi (Serra), and March (Mass and Boesel). Pirelli e the "trident" Alfa Romeo dropped out of the competition in 1952, leaving the way free for the rising star, Maserati.

With Pirelli tyres mounted, the cars from the Trident had their greatest successes with the Argentine, Juan Manuel Fangio: he drove the Maserati 250F to victory, winning the World Championship in both 1954 and 1957. The latter victory was achieved using Pirelli "warehouse remainders" after the Milan manufacturer dropped out of the competition. A new star was beginning to shine: Ferrari. Its founder, Enzo, had driven for the famous Alfa-Pirelli team, and it was with tyres from the Milan company that the Ferrari 125, driven by Alberto Ascari, took to the track and won, back in 1949. Ascari-Ferrari-Pirelli was the new inscindible trio that in 1952 and 1953 won everything that could be won. On the inside back cover of the October 1953 issue of the Pirelli Magazine, the World Champion baptizes the new "tyre of victory", the Pirelli Stelvio.

In December 1956, an announcement ended an era: "...after long and intense participation in motor and motorcycle racing, Pirelli has decided to stop production of racing tyres." Technological efforts were transferred to the new revolutionary tyre: thes Cinturato. Nuvolari: the hermit of the speed The first issue cover of the Pirelli Magazine, back in November 1948, pictured Tazio Nuvolari. In the Thirties, with the help of the man from Mantua, Alfa Romeo and Pirelli created a good part of the history of FORMULA 1 (which wasn't even known as such yet). "Every age has its hermits and its religions. It seems to me that Nuvolari is the hermit of speed..." wrote Orio Vergani in his article "The Life of Nuvolari", written for the magazine. And in the same November 1948 issue, in the piece "The Monza track and the problems of speed", dedicated to the reopening of the Monza track after the war, the Pirelli Magazine took its first step into the fabulous years of the reconstruction of the car manufacturing industry.

FORMULA 1 was officially created, and the car to beat was still the Alfa Rome 158 with Pirelli tyres, driven by Jean-Pierre Wimille. A winning team The Pirelli-Alfa Racing Team, managed by the Ferrari Team, continued to grind out wins over the course of the Thirties, not just on the track, but also in classic road races. The Mille Miglia was born and in 1930, the Alfa 6C 1750 driven by Campari managed to overcome Bugatti's historical dominance. Starting with Varzi , Nuvolari, Brivio, and Taruffi, the Pirelli Stella Bianca earned its nickname, "the tyre of victory". Thanks to the commitment to motor racing competition the structure of the Stella Bianca tread began a period of dramatic evolution. In 1932, the "supersport" version was already available for racing cars, followed by the "Pescara" tread designed for use on the track.

In 1933 Giuseppe Campari drove another model with which Pirelli was to have a long history and won the French Grand Prix with the Maserati 8C. Near the end of the Thirties, the Alfa 8C's domination was still clear. The Quadrifoglio cars equipped with Pirelli tyres won the Mille Miglia in 1937 and again in 1938. The Trident won again and this time it was the Grand Prix in South Africa with Villoresi, in '39. Villoresi was successful again in France in '46 and yet again in '48, with Giuseppe Farina by his side. The quadrifoglio era On August 17th, 1924, the "Domenica del Corriere" dedicated its cover to "a triumph of Italian automobile manufacturing": the victory went to Giuseppe Campari, a driver from Milan, on the track in Lyons, France.

In Beltrame's drawing, Campari is behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo number 10, with Pirelli tyres that were already making use of "cord" technology, with unwoven cord carcasses that improved the rubber and reliability. In Beltrame's drawing, Campari is behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo number 10, with Pirelli tyres that were already making use of "cord" technology, with unwoven cord carcasses that improved the rubber and reliability. The combination of the Quadrifoglio label and the classic P2 and P Lunga was the start of a string of racing victories that would last for over thirty years. Giuseppe Campari, Antonio Ascari, and Gastone Brilli Peri were the drivers that made a name for the Alfa Romeo-Pirelli partnership throughout the Twenties, racing on tracks in France, Italy, and Belgium. In 1925, Brilli Peri won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza and captured the first Grand Prix World Championship.

Pirelli first achievements Achievements did come, starting in 1921 with a win in the Italian Grand Prix in Brescia with Jules Goux driving a Ballot 3L, and then the French Grand Prix in Strasburg in 1922 with Felice Nazzaro driving a Fiat 804. In September of 1922, the race course at Monza was inaugurated with the Grand Prix of the Italian Automobile Club. Pietro Bordino beat out Felice Nazzaro and both drove 6-cylinder Fiat 804s, naturally with Pirelli tyres. These were the golden years of the Fiat-Pirelli partnership, but we also worked with other manufacturers such as the historic Itala and the American company Miller, taking part in races that were destined to become motor racing classics, such as the "Targa Florio" and the "Mille Miglia". At the beginning Georges Boillot Georges Boillot, the French driver, who on July 12th, 1913 won the French Grand Prix Automobile at the Circuit de Picardie in Amiens with a 5.6 litre Peugeot.

Second place went to Jules Goux, who also drove a Peugeot. Both of them raced with Pirelli tyres. Pirelli had already been providing racing tyres to car manufacturers for several years, but Boillot's win was the first victory in an international Grand Prix for Pirelli, back in what was essentially pre-FORMULA 1. Director Piero Pirelli said he was sure "that all the company's employees, and especially the managers and workers in Department 4 would be proud to hear the news of our company's first important victory abroad, which offers hope for and a promise of new and greater achievements to come." Quick link: Michelin submits Formula 1 tyre supply bid - BBC Sport BBC Sport Michelin submits Formula 1 tyre supply bid By Andrew Benson From the section Formula 1 Share this page Bernie Ecclestone has said that a return for Michelin would entail "all the things we don't want." French company Michelin has submitted an application to be Formula 1's new tyre supplier from 2017. It is the second company to express an interest following incumbent Pirelli, which has supplied F1 since 2011.

It wants to change F1's existing approach - to have fragile tyres on which drivers cannot push to the limit for more than a couple of laps. Michelin motorsport director Pascal Couasnon said they were "disappointed with where F1 is tyre-wise". They previously supplied F1 tyres between 1977-84 and 2001-06. Pirelli is acting on a brief from F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone, who believes fragile tyres and multiple pit stops for each driver in a race provide an exciting spectacle. But there has been increasing disenchantment with the approach from certain sections of F1's audience. And drivers have expressed their dissatisfaction that F1 cars are not as challenging as they used to be. McLaren's Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, said: "Saving tyres and fuel from lap one is more frustrating than the pace itself - when you are so slow and you cannot have wheelspin because you overheat the tyres." Couasnon said he believed "there's another way to ensure a good show, with high-technology tyres lasting with good grip".

Media playback is not supported on this device Formula 1's proposed new rule changes explained Michelin's bid includes a requirement for F1 to switch to 18-inch wheels from the current 13-inch diameter, because it says the lower-profile tyres these require are more relevant to road cars. The technical directors of Mercedes and Ferrari, Paddy Lowe and James Allison, said at the last race in Canada that they did not think 18-inch wheels were the correct direction for F1. Ecclestone has privately told teams that he expects Pirelli to get the contract. The Italian company pays Formula 1 Management, the company that holds F1's commercial rights, $40m a year for trackside advertising. Sources say Michelin is aware that if it is to win the deal it will need to provide a suitable commercial deal for the sport. Share this page Tyres and wheels Tyres and wheels What the sporting regulations say: A single tyre supplier, Pirelli, provides all of the teams with identical rubber. If the race is started behind the safety car because of heavy rain… the use of wet-weather tyres until the safety car returns to the pits is compulsory.

Article 24.4k of the 2017 FIA Sporting Regulations Pirelli produce five specifications of dry-weather tyre, each with a distinguishing sidewall colour – ultrasoft (purple), supersoft (red), soft (yellow), medium (white), hard (orange). At each race the teams have access to three specifications (or compounds) of these dry-weather tyres. Each car’s full race weekend allocation consists of 13 sets of dry-weather tyres, four sets of intermediate tyres and three sets of wet tyres. No less than nine weeks before the start of each event in Europe, and 15 weeks before the start of each event held outside Europe, Pirelli (in consultation with the FIA) will inform the team which three compounds can be used at each race. Pirelli nominate two mandatory sets for each car for the race (which can be of different compounds) and one further set of whichever is the softest compound that can only be used in the Q3 segment of qualifying, but the teams are free to choose the remaining 10 sets. The choices made by each team can vary for each of its cars: so each driver within a team can have a different allocation.

The teams must inform the FIA of their nominations no less than eight weeks before the start of each European race and fourteen weeks before the start of each event held outside Europe, meaning they effectively have a week in which to decide on their allocation after hearing which compounds will be made available at each race. If a team does not meet the deadline, the choice will be made by the FIA. For 2017 only, because the selection deadline for the first five Grands Prix falls before pre-season testing, for these events Pirelli will allocate two sets of the hardest compound specification, four sets of the medium compound specification and seven sets of the softest compound specification to each driver. The choices for each car will remain secret until two weeks before the race.

Over the course of a race weekend the teams have to hand back tyres according to a certain schedule, though they can decide which tyres to give back at the following times: - One set after the first 40 minutes of FP1 - One set at the end of FP1 - Two sets at the end of FP2 * - Two sets at the end of FP3 * Unless both FP1 and FP2 are either declared wet or cancelled, in which case one of these sets may be retained by each driver but must be returned before the start of the qualifying. The two mandatory sets nominated by Pirelli cannot be given back during practice and must be available for use in the race. Unless wet or intermediate tyres are used during the race, all drivers must use at least two different specifications of dry-weather tyres in the race, at least one of which must be one of the two mandatory sets nominated by Pirelli, though the teams are free to decide which one. Drivers who make it through to Q3 must hand back the set of the softer compound tyres nominated for Q3, and start the race on the tyres with which they set their fastest time in Q2.

All other drivers will be able to use the set that is saved for Q3 during the race. Teams are free to use wet tyres as they see fit during qualifying and the race. However, during the preceding practice sessions, they may only be used if the track has been declared wet by the race director. If a race is started behind the safety car due to heavy rain, the use of wet tyres is compulsory. All tyres are given a bar code at the start of the weekend so that the FIA can closely monitor their use and ensure that no team is breaking regulations. Any driver who uses a set of tyres of differing specifications during the race may not complete more than three laps on this set before changing them for a set of tyres of the same specification. A penalty under Article 38.3(d) will be imposed on any driver who does not change tyres within three laps. Read the full sporting regulations What the technical regulations say: Any process the intent of which is to reduce the amount of moisture in the tyre and/or in its inflation gas is forbidden.

Article 12.7.2 of the 2017 FIA Technical Regulations Formula One cars must have four uncovered wheels, all made of the same metallic material, which must be one of two magnesium alloys specified by the FIA. Front wheels must be between 370 and 385mm wide, the rears between 455 and 470mm. With tyres fitted the wheels must be no more than 670mm in diameter (680mm with wet-weather tyres). Measurements are taken with tyres inflated to 1.4 bar. Tyres may only be inflated with air or nitrogen. Teams are not allowed to modify the tyres in any way, nor are they allowed to treat them with solvents or softeners. Tyre blankets are permitted, but they may only act upon the outer tyre surface. Wheels must be attached to the car with a single fastener. The tyre guns used in pit stops to remove tyres may only be powered by compressed air or nitrogen. Any sensor systems may only act passively. Is It Time for Formula 1 to Have 2 Tyre Suppliers? | Bleacher Report Is It Time for Formula 1 to Have 2 Tyre Suppliers?

Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Mark Thompson/Getty Images Pirelli's F1 tyres have come under intense criticism in 2013 2.9K 3 Comments They say that variety is the spice of life and that competition is healthy. Wouldn’t it be awfully dull for a company to have a monopoly on oil, gas or household insurance? Whilst competition certainly is a good thing in most avenues of life, certainly regarding large multinationals, such a monopoly currently exists regarding the supply of tyres to Formula One teams, and things haven’t gone smoothly in 2013. But whilst many people are already jumping on the back of Pirelli after a series of well-publicised problems, I think it’s far too early to press the panic button and call for a so called "tyre war" with two suppliers for two fundamental reasons. 1. The legal issue When Bridgestone decided to bail out of Formula One as the official tyre suppliers in November 2009, Cooper Avon, Michelin and Pirelli all professed interest in becoming the sole supplier for 2011.

Pirelli won the contract and currently spend around $50 million a year on circuit advertising and programmes and are likely to be the only contender to remain in the sport to see Formula One through the first three years of the V6 turbo era when the contract is up for renewal from 2014-16. As teams also get a share of around 40 per cent of Pirelli’s marketing spend in return for what they spend for the tyres, you’d think that there would be no shortage of contenders to bid for the new contract, especially in light of the Italian tyre supplier’s recent failings. Think again. 15.3% Total votes: 339 While, say, Michelin or Goodyear have the right to bid for the new contract when it’s up for renewal, commercial-rights holder Formula One Management have agreed with Pirelli to extend the sponsorship signage deal to 2018. Would a new supplier really want to supply tyres without the added track advertising exposure Pirelli have cunningly negotiated?

Nor are the FIA allowed to interfere in the FOM’s commercial affairs after a prior agreement between Bernie Ecclestone and then FIA president Max Mosley, so the signage deal can’t be blocked. It’s also getting too late to bid for 2014, with teams needing detailed specifications of next year’s tyres by September 1 in order to design their new cars with next year’s regulations in mind. 2. The sporting issue Complex legal and commercial issues aside, it’s not the only reason I see another "tyre war" as a terrible idea for the sport. I’ve been following this greatest of sports since my father first took me to Silverstone in 1989 to see Nigel Mansell, then of Ferrari, battle it out with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. That year, a tyre war was going on between Pirelli and Goodyear. Even as a 14-year-old, I marvelled at the achievement of Martin Brundle and Stefano Modena in their Pirelli-shod Brabham Judds at Monaco taking it to the might of the Goodyear McLarens of Senna and Prost.

But somehow it just didn’t seem fair and in my mind, teams with Goodyear tyres enjoyed as distinct an advantage as those running turbos instead of normally aspirated engines. The farcical 2005 US Grand Prix saw only six cars start the race Then, of course, there was 2005 and the United States Grand Prix and unquestionably the most embarrassing moment in the history of Formula One. Following a tyre failure on Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota during Friday practice, Michelin decided to withdraw on safety grounds, leading to the farcical situation of just the six Bridgestone runners competing. It spelled the end of Formula One in the USA for the foreseeable future and a year later, Michelin were out. Okay, so the 2013 Pirelli tyres have been something of a disaster so far, and personally I’ve hated them since the Chinese Grand Prix when Sebastian Vettel opted out of setting a time in Q3 in order to be able to start on the harder compound tyre to suit race strategy. Then there was the bamboozling multi-stop Spanish Grand Prix where many cars simply avoided racing for track position in an attempt to conserve their rubber.

Faster-wearing rubber was supposed to promote the racing spectacle by providing more pit stops and overtaking. And yet Spain proved this was clearly a false positive, as Red Bull boss Christian Horner was keen to point out to BBC Sport . I think it's too confusing for the fans. When we're saying to Sebastian Vettel, you're racing Kimi Raikkonen for position, but you're not and don't fight him, that's not great. Pirelli are a capable company and they can get on top of it, but it's a bit too much at the moment. Then came Silverstone and the exploding tyres... But Pirelli seemed to have learned from their mistakes, and with a return to the 2012 spec front tyres and Kevlar-belted rears, the racing since Britain has been great. Would you rather the situation where we had two suppliers and your favourite team or driver suffering as a result of having inferior rubber? It would be a bit like Usain Bolt being asked to take on Yohan Blake in flip flops.

A bit far-fetched, yes, but two manufacturers would see F1 return to the bad old days of inequality, and I want a level playing field to see who the best drivers really are. Of course competition is healthy, but in the case of Formula One tyres it’s a case of not pressing the panic button just yet and giving Pirelli more time. Pirelli form Formula One tyres team - etyres tyre news etyres tyre news The tyre experts who come to you Tyres at low prices with free fitting at home or work Call Home » News » Pirelli form Formula One tyres team Pirelli form Formula One tyres team June 25, 2010 by Denna By Alex Kapadia Pirelli has created a ‘Formula One Team’ who will work exclusively on the development and production of tyres for what it describes as “the highest level of global motorsport.” The Italian tyres manufacturer revealed that the team will be based at Pirelli’s Research Centre in Milan and the tyres will be produced at its Izmit factory in Turkey, which is where its other competition tyres are currently manufactured.

The team will be made up of engineers and researchers who have accumulated experience at the highest levels of motorsport: creating winning products for the world rally championship (WRC), Superbike, the Rolex Sports Car Series in North America and GT racing, as well as various one-make series. In order to meet the F1 teams’ requirements in terms of reliability, safety and performance, Pirelli’s engineers are already working on simulation models and tyre compounds that will be most suited to the demands of F1 racing. The company also notes that, in co-operation with the teams, it is also ready to develop technical evolutions to the current tyres for the future, “regarding in particular the wheel size.” The announcement follows the confirmation from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the teams, represented by the Formula One Teams Association, and Formula One’s organising body, represented by Formula One Management, that Pirelli will be the exclusive tyre supplier for Formula One teams between 2011-13, inclusive. Pirelli are contracted to develop six different types of tyre for the whole season.

Four of these will be slick tyres – with different compounds to suit various dry asphalt surfaces – and one will be a rain tyre, for heavy precipitation. Finally there will be an intermediate tyre, for damp conditions and light rain. Share and Enjoy Tyre makers invited to tender for 2017 F1 deal Tyre makers invited to tender for 2017 F1 deal Share Formula One racing’s governing body, the FIA, has officially invited interested companies to tender to become the sole official F1 tyre supplier for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 FIA Formula One World Championships. Current supplier Pirelli’s deal expires at the end of 2016. Applications must be lodged by June 17 and candidates who meet the FIA’s technical and safety requirements will then be forwarded a month later for commercial negotiations and final consideration. The FIA is considering introducing wider tyres for 2017 as part of plans to make cars five to six seconds per lap quicker. It says it is also open to moving to a larger wheel diameter - currently 13 inches - if the tyre manufacturer feels there may be advantages to the competitors by doing so.

Pirelli have been the official F1 tyre supplier since the start of the 2011 season and motorsport director Paul Hembery told Formula1.com recently: “We are happy with our involvement with Formula One. But 2017 is a while away and we have to still be confident that the sport is going forward - and still offers the same level of return. For us it is a pure business decision.” Recommended

Question: Which company is the tyre supplier for all teams in Formula One in 2011?
Answer: PIRELLI